Universal automatic ware loading machine



Aug. 20, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet :l.

Original Filed Oct. 8, 1959 INVENTOR.

Aug. 20, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER 3,101,151

UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

l M Ma (0.4. Junk- ATTORNEYS Aug. 20, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER 3,101,151

UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 M INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 20, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Oct. 8, 1959 v FIT I I I la Aw-q INVEFNTOR.

ATTORNEYS C. W. SCHREIBER UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 8, .1959

Aug. 20, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 QN L \Q\ QQ\ hm \Q\ kw WNW Q.Q\ KW S w wk m H w a w y. .1 T I NM c N 1 m m 11 A m M 1m 4 mm M a l I (.11 1 J. 1 N 1 1 1 m m .1 we B qw\ v3 w\\ \M S m\\ RN N I H x I Q L. 1 i 3Q J .1 R 3 n F \iL &\ 3 QM QQ\ Aug. 20, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER 3,

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Original Filed 001;. 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 I BY .LJL mama AT ORNEYS Aug. 20, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Oct. 8, 1959 60 o/ az 9 AT TORNEYS g- 0, 1963 c. w. SCHREIBER 3,101,151

UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 8, 1959 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 m H is:

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United States Patent 3,101,151 r UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC WARE LGADWG MACHINE Carl W. Schreiher, Toledo, @hio, assignor to Owens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ghio Original application Get. 8, i959, Ser. No. 345,262, new Patent No. 3,1tltl,tl51, dated Aug. 6, 1963. Divided and this application Oct. 20, 18 60, Ser. No. 63,819

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-1) The present invention relates to apparatus for loading glassware delivered from a forming machine to a rotary machine, such as a lburn-off machine. The glassware, such as a tumbler, as formed on the forming machine, has an integral excess quantity of glass defining the open end of the article. This excess is known in the art as the moil which is to be later burned off in a burnofi machine, thereby forming the finished rim at the open end of the finished article of glassware.

In the glass plant for manufacture of tumblers, as well as other forms of ware, the ware is formed on the forming machine and transferred to the conveyor. The ware, which is not yet annealed to relieve internal stresses, must then be transferred to the burn-ofi? machine before it cools to the point where it will break easily merely by run at a speed that will accommodate unloading the forming machine. To achieve these requirements, the conveyor will need to travel at a rate faster than the linear speed of the ware pick-up mechanism. As one example, if the formed ware is delivered to the conveyor at a centento-center spacing of approximately 25 inches, which is the normal spacing of ware as delivered from the forming machine, present day burn-01f machines are constructed such that the burners and, of course, the chucks which serve them, are normally arranged on the rotary carriage at a center-to-center spacing of somewhat less than 25 inches. This requires that the ware be picked up and delivered to the burn-off chucks at a lesser spacing. Generally, the burners are spaced apart anywhere from nine to fifteen inches. I

Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a novel means for retarding and timing ware moving on a horizontal conveyor to [synchronize it with a Ware haudling apparatus being moved to a were receiving point over the conveyor in a position for pick-up by such apparatus.

A further object of the invention is toprovide a novel ware pick-up mechanism and means for operating it for picking up and releasing articles of ware.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ware handling apparatus that is fully adjustable and adaptable to handle various ware sizes.

Since the ware pick-up mechanisms are carried on a rotary turret and travel through a circular path, and the chucks on the burn-off machine are carried by a rotary carriage and travel in a separate circular path, the path for the ware on the loader must intersect the path of the chucks to perform the transfer. To effort the smoothest transfer possible, the rotary turret and rotary carriage for the chucks on the burn-off machine are rotated in opposite directions, such as one rotating clockwise and the other counterclockwise. At relatively slow speeds, the transfer to the chucks could be performed by having the loader located so that the circular path of the ware on the pick-up mechanism strikes a tangent point with the circular path of the hurncif chucks.- However, the present invention includs as one of its objects the provision for the circular path of wareon the loader overlapping the path of the chucks and altering one of these circular paths to coincide with the other circular path through a portion of the two rotations in proximity to the ware de- I 3,101,151 Patented Aug. 20, 1963 the Ware delivery station portion of rotary travel of the Also, the conveyor must be latter. As the ware and the chuck are held in registry,

the chuck is moved vertically to receive and hold theware while the pick-up mechanism is releasing it.

Having set forth some of the broad objects of the in vention, the specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the annexed sheets of drawings, on which, by way of preferred example only, is illustrated one practical embodiment of this invention, with two alternative forms of operation.

On the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a fully automatic glassware shop utilizing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view, partly broken away and partially schematic, showing the drive connection between the burn elf machine, the rotary ware loader, and the ware retarder device for synchronizing the movements of all three.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the rotary ware loader, as taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and illustrates the operation of the loader for loading inverted chucks on a burn-off machine.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the ware loader, ware retarder, and straight line conveyor, illustrating the one form of the invention for loading ware from the conveyor to inverted burn-off chucks.

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational View taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a sectional plan view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3-.'

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the invention for loading ware picked up in an upright'po sition and inverted during transfer to the delivery point.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of the upper portion of the loader, as was illustrated on FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the turret of the rotary loader as it would appear at the delivery station side adjacent the burn-off machine. I

FIG. 10 is a sectional plan view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a detailed sectional elevational view ofone of the mountings for the ware pick-up mechanisms on the turret of the rotary loader.

- FIG. 12 is a detailedsectional elevational view taken along line 12-12. of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of one of the ware pick-11p mechanisms of the invention mounted on the rotatable turret of the rotary loader, shown as itwould appear in position for holding ,Ware inverted on the loader.

FIG. 14 is an end elevational view of the ware pick-11p mechanism of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 15-15 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a'sectional plan view taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 15. 2

FIG. 17 is a sectional plan view taken along line 17-17 of FIG. 15. x a

FIG. 18 is a sectional elevational view of the turret of the rotary loader, which illustrates it adapted to a second form of operation under the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a detailed plan view taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 18.

In its operation, the present inventionserves to automatically remove glass-ware articles from a conveyor and load them into an annular series of revolving burn-off chucks. As was mentioned, to perform this loading, the

glassware may need to be turned over or inverted. The mechanism employed to achieve this loading of a moving rotary machine is closely synchronized with the various other units associated with it to go toward making up an entirely automatic glassware shop which accomplishes all of the handling of the articles during manufacture mechanically without detrimental contact on the portion of the article to be in the finished product. To do this in an efiicient and rapid manner has been a long sought objective of this industry.

Thus, in operation of such an automatic glassware shop,the ware is delivered from the forming machine and transferred to a straightline conveyor in. an upright position. The ware is spaced on the conveyor and moved in such a manner as to obtain the proper cooling prior to handling for burn-off. Thus, as the ware is deposited at a relatively wide spacing and moved at a relatively fast rate on the conveyor, a retarding device is employed momentarily to slow down the ware just at the time it reaches the loading station for pick-up by the ware handling units of the rotary burn-off loader. This retarder positions the bottle accurately with respect to the Ware-engaging members on the pick-up mechanism so that each piece of ware may be received by one of these mechanisms and easily grasped. The Ware is retarded and positioned to be picked up by jaws on the ware pick-up mechanism,

which engage the ware on the moil just under the finish.

Since the loader must be closely synchronized with the moving chucks on the rotary burn-E machine, both as to linear speed and position, the loader is driven directly from the burn-01f machine, and this drive includes a means for obtaining position synchronization. After the ware has been picked up from the conveyor, the pickup mechanism may be bodily rotated 180 about a horizontal axis to invert the Ware for loading into an inverted chuck on the burn-off. At the time the pick-up mechanism reaches the unloading station, which is the delivery point to the chuck, the ware will have been carried in vertical registration with the opening of the chuck, and the chuck brought down over the bottom end of the ware. About the time the chuck is being lowered, the jaws are opened and the ware is supported on the headplate momentarily. After the ware is fully transferred and loaded to the chuck, the pick-up mechanism and chuck move away fromeach other, and the pick-up mechanism is again rotated 180 to a position preparatory for picking up another article. During the time when the Ware is being loaded to the burn-oil? chuck during its travel into the ware unloading station, the ware pick-up mechanism is manipulated radially on the turret to cause the ware to follow the same path as the chuck.

Referring now to the drawings, a more detailed de-,

scription of the invention will be undertaken.

On FIG. 1, the aforementioned fully automatic shop for producing glassware is shown schematically, including utilization of the present invention. This includes a rotary forming machine which has a plurality of c-ircumferentially spaced ware-forming units or heads which deliver formed ware successively to the transfer arm assembly of a rotary transfer mechanism 11. This mechanism carries the ware over a straight line conveyor 12 which is spaced horizontally from the forming units of machine 10, and has its operating surface in overlying relationship to the transfer arms of the mechanism 11 sufficiently for receiving the ware in an upright position thereon. The Ware is deposited successively on conveyor 12 in a predetermined spacedrelationshi-p for travelin a single line straight path toward a rotary multiple chuck burn-off machine 13. Intermediate the burn-off machine and the conveyor, the subject matter of the present invention is employed for performing automatic loading of the burn-off machine. By way of a general reference, a ware retarding device 14 is operated along one side of the conveyor 1-2. This device 14, which is to be presently described more in detail, has a plurality of fingers 15 which are moved in a path extending over the conveyor surface and along the same direction as the ware Will travel while on the conveyor 12. The fingers 15 move at a predetermined rate that is slower than the ware movement on the conveyor. The fingers 15 thus act to intercept the Ware by momentary contact with it as near its bottom as possible just prior to its transfer from the conveyor, and thereby position and synchronize the ware with the moving Ware pick-up mechanisms of the rotary Ware loader 16. There are a number of these ware pick-up mechanisms provided on the loader 16, and they each are carried in a circular path that extends over the conveyor 12. The fingers 15 and the ware pick-up mechanisms are timed and synchronized with each other to enable loading the wareat a Ware-receiving station or loading station on the conveyor. The loader 16 then transfers the ware to a chuck on the burn-off machine 13, as will be presently described. While on this latter machine, the moil portion of the ware is burned off to finish the article. The finished articles are removed by a takeout mechanism or unloader 17 and transferred onto a lehr cross conveyor 18 from which they are loaded into the lehr 19.

As seen on FIG. 3, the loader '16 comprises a base 20 having leg supports 20a adjustable for height with respect to the floor through their connection with structural members 2012. Near the bottom of the base 20* is a vertical shaft 21 rigidly attached in place at a casting 22 and held by the end nut 23. As another stationary part of the machine, an upper casting 24 is keyed onto the shaft 21 at key 25 in the vertical key slot 26. The casting 24 is held to a selected elevation thereon.

As seen on FIG. 2, the loader 16 is driven by an operative connection between the base bull gear 27 of the burn-off machine and a driven gear (not shown) of transmission unit 28. The transmission unit has an output shaft 29 connected by a coupling 30 and its end universal joint connections 31 and 62 to a stub shaft 33 that is bearing-mounted in the journal box 34. This journal boX is rigidly fastened to the base 20 (FIG. 3). Keyed on the opposite end of the stub shaft 33 is bevel drive gear 35. This gear is in meshing engagement with a matching beveled spider 36 rotatably mounted on shaft 21. The spider gear 3'6 is fastened rigidly with an upper casting which provides an annular driver member 3 7. These parts 36 and 37 are rotatably mounted in a bearing 38 provided by the annular casting 39 which is bolted to the base 20 by the studs 40 at the integrally fastened side lugs 41. The casting 39 has an upper capped annular flange 42 fastened by a bolt 43.

The annular driver member 37 forms part of a detent clutch and carries one or more detent units 44. Each of these units includes a detent plunger 45 that is forced in a radially inward direction by a spring assembly 46. Fitting concentrically Within the annular driver member is an annular driven member 47 which forms another pant of the mentioned detent clutch. The driven member 47 is likewise rotatable about the shaft 21 and includes a corresponding number of detent notches 48 capable of receiving the inner end of the detent plungers 4-5 for normally holding the driven member 4-7 in engagement with the driver member 37 to be driven thereby. The annular position of the detent plungers engaged in the detent notches of the just described clutch provides for an annular position of the Ware pick-up mechanisms of the loader that will be synchronized in space with the chucks of the burnaoff machine as these two just mentioned units are rotated at any given rate of rotation of the burn-off bull gear 27 through the just described drive connection to the annular driver member 37. The detent clutch also provides a safety feature for the loader 16. In case of jamup or interference of the moving pants of the turret, the spring assemblies 46 Will yield under a predetermined torque and allow the clutch to slip. Integrally secured with the driven member 47 is an integral sleeve structure 49 which serves as a tubular drive shaft connected to the lower spider '0 of the turret by bolts 51. Both the tubular shaft 49 and the spider 56 are rotatable about the vertical shaft 21.

The lower spider 56 forms part of the turret which includes a housing 52. This housing provides radial mountings for the illustrated ten Ware pick-up mechanisms, each identified generally by reference numeral 69, spaced equally about the turret (see FIGS. 4, 6, 9 and 10). Integrally connected at the upper side of the housings 52 is an upper annular bearing plate 53. This upper plate is rotatable on the annular radial flange 54 of the casting 2.4 which is held stationary on the verticalshaft 21 (FIG. 8). Each of the Ware pick-up mechanisms 60 is mounted in a bored cylinder 55 of housing 52 in a similar manner (FIG. 10). The mechanism 66 has a shaft 61 journal mounted for radial shifting movement in a bore 62 of the cylinderical sleeve member 63 (see FIG. 11). The sleeve member 63 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 64 held in a cylinder 55 of the housing 52. The sleeve member 63 is radially located by its annular shoulder 65 fitting against the one axial end of the bearing 64 and a threaded collar 66 screwed onto the other end of sleeve member 63. The collar bears against the outer end of the housing 52. The shaft 61 is of varying'diameter and has a central portion 61a provided with a plurality of splines 61b assembled in a matching splined bore 67 of the sleeve member 63. This cooperation between the splines 61b and the matching splined bore 67 secures the shaft 61 against rotational movement with respect to the sleeve member 63. The just described mounting of the shaft 61 in the sleeve member 63 provides a radially shiftable mounting for the shaft 61 Ion the turret. The larger outer end portion of the shaft 61 forms a shoulder 68. The inner end of the bore 62 in member 63 forms a shoulder 69. A coil spring 76 is compressible between the shoulders 68 and 69 to normally urge the shaft 61 radially outwardly in its mounting in the sleeve member 63.

Referring now to FIGS. 6, 9, and 19, each shaft 61 has a pressed-on collar 72 formed with an annular raceway in the form of a groove 73. A yoke 74 rides in the groove 73 and is pivotally mounted on a pin 75 for rotation therewith. Pivotal movement of the yoke 74 thus transmits an axial force to shaft 61 at its collar 72. The pin 75 is rotatably mounted in a bracket 76 fastened to the housing 52 at the periphery of the turret. The lower end of pin 75 carries an arm attached to drive the pin. At the outer end of arm 77 is a rotatable roller 78 attached by pivot pin 79. The roller 78 acts as a cam follower. As was described in connection with FIG. 11, the shaft 61 is normally under force for radial extension by the the unit 60 to follow a selected path the same as the path of a chuck on the rotary carriage of the rotary machine which it is to serve. Thus, with the unit 60 normally held in its extended position, the were is normally carried in a regular circular path B until that path approaches a point of intersection with the circular path C of the chuck on therotary machine. At this point, the cam 82 will operate the lever means comprised of the parts 77, 75, and 74, so as to alter this circular path of the ware as B which will coincide with the circular path of the chuck.

As the paths coincide and the wareand the chuck are in registery, the transfer of the ware from the unit 66 to the chuck may be carried out. As shown on FIG. 3, this transfer occurs at a ware unloading station at which a burn-off chuck 85 is lowered from the phantom outline position 'to'the solid outline over the base of the tumbler compressed coil spring 70. The normal extended posi- Y tion of each pick-up mechanism 66 is defined by a stop member which comprises a bracket Stifastened to the turret and an adjusting screw 81 threaded therethrough in a position to engage the side of the arm 77. As shown on FIG. 6, as the units 6 1) are urged outwardly by their spring 70, the yoke 74 is carried in the groove 73 to urge it outwardly and pivot the pin 75 in a clockwise direction (FIG. 6), thus rotating the arm 77 in that direction. This rotation is permitted until the arm 77' engages the end of the adjusting screw 81 which stops the extension of the unit 60 and defines its normally extended position. As the turret is rotated in the counterclockwise direction, indicated by the arrow on FIG. 6, the cam follower 78 engages the rise on a cam 32. This cam 82 is held stationary by fastening it at bolts 83 on the base 29. As the roller 78 engages the rise of the cam, the arm 77 is forced in a counterclockwise direction, which drives the pin 75 and yoke 74 in that same direction, and forces the unit 60 radially inwardly .to retract it under control of the cam 82. This cam is developed and located on the base 20 in proper position to cause the piece of ware carried by T. With the tumbler T received therein, vacuum is applied to the chuck 85 through the passage 86, which will hold the ware thereon. At the time the chuck is being lowered over the tumbler, the tumbler handling device 60 is being operated to release the tumbler. As

shown on the drawing, the tumbler subsequently travels in the circular path of the chuck 85 on the rotary machine, and the chuck is later actuated to lower the tumbler .into an annular underlying burner 87' on the rotary carto an integral plate 91 at the outer end of the shaft 61 by a cap screw 92. The frame 90' is recessed'to fit around the square plate 91 so that it is held securely against rotation with respect to the shaft. The upper end of the frame 90 provides an integral housing 93 having a pair of sideby-side holes 94 which receive two vertically disposed shafts 95 and 96. A headplate member 97 fits around the other end of the frame 90 in a dovetail slidable mounting, and is held in position by an adjusting screw 98 threaded into the headplate member 97 near one end and into the upper casting 93 of the frame at its other end. This adjusting screw mounting permits varying the location of the headplate 97 by sliding it along the frame-90. The headplate member 97 also has a pair of bored holes 99 aligned with the holes 94 to accommodate the shafts 95 and 96. Thus, the shafts are mounted parallel for rotation on the frame of the unit. Opposed gripping jaws 1% and 101 are keyed onto the shafts 95 and 96, respectively. Each of the ware gripping jaws comprises arms 100a and 101a and jaw inserts 100i; and liilb. The insects are detachably connected to these arms by cap screws 102. The inserts have a thin arcuate inner facing edge surface 163 that may be closed about the ware and engage its sides in picking it up for loading it to the ware pick-up mechanism. As shown on'FIGS. 13 and 14, the insents are chamfered toward the surface 163 as at 10 i. The inserts are changeable to suit the diameter of the articles selected to be handled.

The arms 106a and lillla are journaled about their shafts 95 and 96 and held between the boss 97a and the horizontal headplate 9712, both rigidly supported by the headplate member97. The member 97, as was previously mentioned, as well as the two arms. 100a and 10 1a, is slidable axially along the shafts 95 and 96, respectively, by the adjusting screw 98. The arms are fastened to the shafts so as to be rotatable thereby by a set screw 106 in an axial keyway 105. The boss 97a is bolted to the headplate 97b at bolt 107, which extends through a spacer 1108 held therehetween. Thus, the jaws and headplate may be adjusted along the frame 96 to accommodate various sizes of ware.

The upper ends of the shafts 95 and 96 each have a gear 109 and 110 keyed onto them, the two gears being constructed so as to be in meshing engagement with each other. Cam followers 111 and .112 are rigidly fastened to the shafts 95 and 96, respectively, at a point axially beyond the gears 1119 and 110. These cams constitute drivable members on each of the shafts and are disposed in a cooperating relationship to permit counter revolutions of the shafts upon actuation by a cam 113. This cam 1-13 constitutes a driver member and is journaled about a pin 1 14- extending through housing 93 fastened by nut 115 (FIG. 15). The calm 113 has an integral lever arm 116 which has an integrally attached cross bar 117. The cross bar mounts a pair of cam followers in the form of rollers 1 18 and 119, these two rollers being disposed on opposite sides of the cross bar 117. These two cam followers will be engageable, one at a time, with different cams mounted on the machine for rotating the lever 116 in one direction or the other about the pivot 114. This will impart rotation to the earn 113, which will drive one or the other of the cam followers 111 or 1 12.

i If, for example, the cam 113 is rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 16, it will drive the cam follower 111 in the counterclockwise direction, causing its gear 109 to drive gear 110 and its shaft 96 in the clockwise direction. This rotation of the two shafts will rotate the ware gripping jaws illlil and 10 1 in opposite directions for opening them. The contoured shape of the cam 'follower 112 will permit this rotation. counterclockwise rotation of cam 113 will produce the same opening movement of the jaws by driving cam follower 112 and shaft 96 clock wise, which will rotate gear 111} to drive gear 109 and its shaft 95 counterclockwise.

The gripping jaws 1041 and 1111 are forced toward each other to the closed position by similar torsion springs 120, oppositely wound and mounted, which work on their respective shafts 95 and 96 oppositely one to the other. The one end of each spring is fastened to the underside of housing 93 by a screw fastener 121. The other end of each of the coils of the springs 121 is fastened onto the respective shafts 95 and 96 by a screw fastener 122. This provides a resilient means for normally urging the gripping jaws into their closed position, and the springs have sufficient torsional torque effect upon the shafts to hold the jaws in closed position for loading and supporting an article of ware on each of the units -60 by a manner to be presently described.

As previously mentioned, the units 61} are mounted for carriage by the rotation of the turret about the vertical axis 21. As shown on FIG. 4, the base 20 of the loader 16 is situated with respect to conveyor 12 and the burnoff machine 13 so that the jaws 10d and 101 of each of the ware handling devices 61} intersect the path of the upright articles T at a tangent point to that path over the conveyor. At this time, the units 60 are held in their radially extended positions by the arm 77 of each being engaged against the stop 81 (FIG. 6). The straight path of the center of the articles T is indicated at A. The path of the center of the jaws is a circle indicated at B. As the articles T approach the loading station on the conveyor, they will engage a ware retarder finger 15 of the ware retarder device 14. At about this point, the conveyor belt 12 runs over an inclined pad '71 which elevates the tumbler (FIG.

As seen on FIGS. 2, 5, and 8, this device is constructed as follows: An endless carriage in the form of a roller chain 123 is engaged on the teeth of sprockets 124 and 125. Sprocket 124 is keyed onto vertical shaft 126 that is bearing-mounted in brackets 127. The brackets 127 are rigidly attached to the side of the conveyor frame 128 at the structural reinforcing plate 129. The sprocket 125 is keyed onto vertical shaft 130 bearing-mounted in brackets 131. The brackets 131 are retained for horizontal sliding movement along the structure 129, and adjusted by the screw elements 132 threaded through bracket 133 which is rigidly attached to the structure 129. By this -means, the carriage chain may be properly tightened. The

fingers 15 are mounted onto links of the chain 123 by suitable slide mounts 134. These permit forward and rearward adjustment of the position of each finger 15 with respect to the others. Preferably, the fingers are carried at an elevation such that they will engage the ware on conveyor 12 as near their bottom end as may be practical. As shown on FIGS. 3, 5, and 8, they are carried at a height so as to engage the side of the tumblers illustrated near the sham section. This will decrease any tendency to tip the ware. Also, this region of the ware is the least sensitive to deformity. The fingers 15 are of a length to project across the conveyor 12 and intercept articles moving along path A. The fingers 15 have a covering of asbestos material on the ware-engaging side to reduce chilling effect and provide a cushioned surface on contact with the glass.

The carriage is driven by :a chain drive 135 (FIGS. 3 and 5-) running on a sprocket 136 attached at the lower end of shaft 126 by set screw 145. The chain engages an idler gear 137 and a drive sprocket 138. The idler gear is rotatable on a shaft 139 that is held in a horizontally slidable bracket 140. The bracket 14-11 is adjustably mounted by its slots 141 and bolts 142 onto vertical structure 129 on the conveyor. The drive sprocket 138 is keyed on a shaft 143 journal-mounted in bearing mounts 14 i attached on the vertical member of base 20. Shaft 1 13 is driven by the pinion 1 16 keyed thereon in mesh with an annular gear 56. This gear is bolted to a spider 57 by bolt 58. The hub 59 of spider 57is rigidly attached to the sleeve member of the tubular drive shaft 49. This drive off the shaft 49 has a predetermined gear ratio for moving the fingers 15 on the chain carriage 123 at the same linear speed as the centers of the jaws while traveling on path B. The fingers may be adjustably timed for engaging the ware on the conveyor as desired by loosening the set screw 145 holding the sprocket 136 to shaft 126 and rotating the chain to advance or retard it. The fingers 15 should make contact with the ware at about the time the jaws 101} and 1131 of the units 59 begin closing. This closing of the jaws for loading ware will be presently described. When the position of the fingers is thus synchronized with the ware-handling jaws, the set screw 145 is secured to lock the drive connection in place.

The units 60 are loaded at the loading station as they are moved over the conveyor 12 by opening their gripping jaws 1116- and 1191 by the cam roller 118 of each rolling on the cam 88 which is a plate cam bolted by studs $9 on the base 2h (FIG. 6). The position of the cam may be adjusted to time the jaw opening by adjustment along slots 88a. Cam 88 is developed so rollers 118' will successively actuate the jaws to their open position as each unit 60 is carried toward the conveyor (see FIG. 4). Thence, the cam will permit the jaws to close about the moil of the tumbler T at a point about 10 of rotation before the tangent point P is reached. It is preferred that the cam 58 provide for rapid closing movement of the jaws for loading. In picking up the ware, the jaws 11111 and 101 are kept open until the article is about to come under control of a retarder finger 15 and be brought between the jaws by the convergent movement of the unit 60 and the articles. At about this point, the incline of the conveyor 12 going over pad 71 occurs to elevate the article and place the moil well within the bite of the jaws, whereupon the cam. 88 permits the jaws to immediately close under force of their springs 120. The retarder finger 15 actually need contact the Ware for but a fraction of a second before the jaws are closed on the moil. Upon closing, the jaws engage the moil of the ware just under the top rim. Below this point, the moil is tapered inwardly and the continued closing force of the thin arcuate engaging edge 103 of each of the jaws lifts the ware bodily toward the overlying horizontal headplate 97b. The rim of the ware seats on this plate and the jaws hold the ware in upright suspended fashion. This will have occurred by the time the unit 60 and the ware have reached the point of divergence between it and member 63.

the conveyor (path A) beyond the tangent point P.- With the bottom of the articlefree of the conveyor.1Z,-t-he circular path B may be followed toward the ware unloading station at the burn-off machine without dragging the bottom of the. ware on the conveyor. Meanwhile, the conveyor 12 is running off the inclined pad '71. This will further separate it from the bottom surface of the ware. As indicated on FIG. 4, the carriage of the burn oif ascribes to its chucks a circular path C. Under this, the first form of operation of the invention, the units 60 are made to invert by rotation about the radialaxis of the mounting shaft 61 prior to reaching the unloading station. .This "invert is performed in the following manner. i

As was earlier described herein, each unit. 60 is rototably mounted by its shaft 61 and cylindrical sleeve member 63 in the bored cylinders 55of the turret houspermost on the sleeve membr'E-When the jaws 101! and 191 of the units do are horizontal and in position to pick up tumblers T in upright position by grasping them while on conveyor 12. This slide bearing relationship between the plate 148 and fiat 147 willhold the sleeve member 63 fixed in this position against rotation prior to and during rotary movement for ware pick-up at the loading station and until a point in that movement intermediate the ware loading and unloading stations. Then the plate 148 terminates to form a recessed region 151,

whereat flat 147 is disengaged, thereby permitting rotation of the sleeve member 63 (FIG. 10). An annular plate 152 having a lesser radius than the guides 148 and 149 is provided with two. arouate horizontal bevel gearsegments 153 and 154 that are facing downwardly. These segments are positioned to engage the bevel gears 155 formed integral at the inner end of the sleeve members 63. The segment 153 is of sufficient length to impart one-half revolution to each gear 155 as thefiat 14-7 enters the recessed region 151 between guide plates 148 and 149 permitting rotation. Thus, as the turret is powered to rotate about the center shaft 21, each pick-up mechanism 60, after being loaded with a piece of ware, will invert to carry the. ware to the unloading station in inverted fashion so that the headplate 97b of the ware-handling apparatus is lowermost. As the segment 153 terminates, likewise does recessed region 151, and the other-flat 147' will ride on the next guide plate 1 9. This will hold the units 60 inverted throughout the ware unloading station along the burn-off machine path C.

As the units 60 are each carried beyond the unloading station and back toward the loading station, the flat 147 thereon enters the next recessed region 156, land the beveled gear 155 there engages the straight beveled gear segment 154 to impart one-half revolution tothe sleeve This reverts the unit to upright position for picking up another piece of ware from the conveyor. After the one-half revolution is completed, the unit is held in position for ware pick-up by the fiat 147 of the sleeve member 63 again riding. on guide plate 148.

Thus, the ware pick-up mechanisms are each loaded in the manner described above during movement of each unit 60 through the ware loading station in path)? (FIG. 4). The ware is loaded in upright position under influence of the loading camfid operating the cam roller 118 and lever 116 responsive to rotary motion of the turret. The ware is then carried while the unit 611 undergoes 180" of rotation about its axis along shaft 61 to place the ware in inverted position. As the circular movedicated by158.

1d ment in path B continues, this path reaches a point of intersection with the circular path C of the chucks'on the rotary burn-off machine carriage. As was earlier described, the. units dil -and a chuck are synchronized to meet at this point in vertical alignment. At this intersection,.the bottom of the ware is in vertical registry with the overhead burn-off chuck 85, as shown in FIG. 3. This marks the origin of the ware unloading station. At this time, the cam roller 78' engages the cam 82 (FIG. 6) to shift the unit 5a radially on its splined mounting 61b 6'7 (FIG. 11) by the bell-crank type linkage 77-75-74 biasing the spring 70. The path of the wareis then altered to retain the ware inregistry with thechuck through the path B (FIGS. 4 and 7). While the ware is moving in the" path B, the chuck 85 lowers, and the ware-gripping jaws areactuated to their open position. The do this, a

cam-s4 is attached, as by bolts 84a, to the stationary up- I per casting 24 .at' an elevation to. engage rollers 119 as they. move past it (FIGS. 3, 4', 8 and 9). As the jaws are opened by pivotal movement of lever 116, the ware is allowed to rest on the headplate 97b of its unit 60. After .the unit progresses in its rotary movement past the unloading station, and the ware is transferred to a chuck 85 for carriage thereby, the cam 82 terminates to cause the unit 60 to extend again to travel in the circular path B. The cam 84 also terminates, which .causes the jaws to close. Thereafter, the unit 60 isagain rotated to the upright position for picking up another article.

Having just described one form of theinvention for transferring'upright ware to inverted chucks, it will now become apparent, upon describing the next form of the invention, that it fulfills the purpose of a universal automatic ware loader. This, the second form of theinvention, provides for transfer of ware from a conveyor 12 inthe upright position to a chuck of a rotary burn-offma chine in upright position, moving in its horizontal cir-.

cular path, the same as before, but in underlying relationship to the bottom of the ware undergoing transfer.

Referring to FIG. 18, the loader 16 may be converted to this second form of operation by removing the annular gear plate 152 and the guide plates 148 and 149 from the previously described mechanism. This may be accomplished by removing the upper annular bearing plate 53' from the housing 52 after removing the bolts 536: (FIG. 4). The upper casting 24 may then bepulled and these parts 148, 149-, and 152 removed by unscrewing the bolts 150., These parts are replaced by a one-piece annular bearing plate 157 which provides a bearing surface for thefiats 147 of the sleeve member 63 of each unit 60 about the entire circle of the movement provided by the rotary turret. The bevel gear segments are thus omitted from the structure. This will retain the units in the same position without invert and revert, as contrasted to the practice under the first form of operation described earlier. The plate 157 is bolted in place at the-same threaded holes'but with appropriate bolts, such as in- Since the units 60 will not now be inverted at the unloading stationpa cam 159 is fastened at 166 on the baseZt) to perform the function of opening the jaws of each unit for unloading. This cam is of similar contour and is peripherally located to serve substantially the same function as cam 84 did in opening the gripping jaws to release the ware. The cam roller 119 is shown in contact with the cam for this purpose. In this form of the invention, the burn-off chucks, here indicated as 161, are upright. They are loaded by raising them vertically on the rotary burn-off carriage to receive the bottom of the ware therein. The chuck should be nearly into'the chuck, but enough to clear the ware gripping jaws of the units 60, as the paths B and C diverge. In all other respects, the loader and associated mechanisms are operated as previously described.

ill

The showing in FiG. 19 illustrates the same means for controlling the horizontal path of the ware as it enters and travels on the rotary moving pick-up mechanisms 6i) in the ware unloading station defining the altered path B for retaining the Ware in registry with the underlying burn-off chucks.

This application results as a divisional from my copending applicationSerial No. 845,262, filed October '8, 1959.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be modified through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and it is not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a horizontal conveyor adapted to receive articles of were in hot condition from a forming machine and move them in a straight line path at a constant speed, a rotary, multiple-chuck burn-off machine carrying its chucks at a constant speed, the linear speed of the chucks being less than the speed of the ware on the conveyor, a rotary Ware transfer apparatus having a plurality of ware pick-up mechanisms adapted to travel in registry over the straight line path of the ware on the conveyor at a Ware receiving station and in registry With the path of the chucks at a subsequent ware delivery station, drive means for moving the were pick-up mechanisms in synchronism with the movement or the chucks, the ware pick-up mechanisms each traveling at the same .linea-r speed as the chucks, said drive means comprising a turret on the Ware transfer apparatus mounting the were pick-up mechanisms, a vertical shaft about which said turret is mounted for rotation, a driving connection from the burn-cit machine, a detent clutch comprising an annular drivenmember concentric about said shaft and operatively connected to said turret for rotating the latter, an annular driver member concentric about said shaft and operatively connected to be driven from said driving connection, thereby providing speed synchronization of the rotary movement of the ware pickup mechanisms and the chucks, a plurality of detents on one of said annular clutch members annularly arranged, matching detent notches 'on the other of said annular clutch members, the detents engaging the notches for driving engagement and the detents and notches being constructed and arranged to correspond to position synchronizati'on of the Ware pick-up mechanisms With the chucks of the burn-01f machine, a ware retarding means operable in the straight line path of the were on the conveyor for intercepting ware thereon prior to their entering the Ware receiving station for reducing the linear speed of the Ware, and a synchronized drive means operated by the last-mentioned drive means and connected for operating said Ware retarding means to move the latter at the same linear speed and in synchronism With said Ware pick-up mechanisms.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, wherein said Ware retarding means comprises an endless carriage, means mounting said carriage to define a path of travel in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the conveyor and along one side of the conveyor, and a plurality of retarder fingers mounted on said carriage for movement therewith, said fingers having soft non-metallic facings. that extend outwardly and are movable in overlying relationship to the conveyor for travel along the straight line path of the Ware and engage the ware thereon. I a

3. In combination, a horizontal conveyor adapted to receive articles of Ware inhot condition from a forming machine and move them-in a straight line path at a constant speed, a rotary, multiple-chuck burn-off machine carrying its chucks at a constant speed, the linear speed of the chucks being less than the speed of'the were on the conveyor, a rotary ware transfer apparatus having a plurality of ware pick-up mechanisms adapted to travel in registry over the straight line path of the Wareon the conveyor at a ware receiving station and in registry With the path of the chucks at a subsequent Ware delivery station, drive means for moving the War-e pick-up mechanisms in synchronisrn with the movement of the chucks, the ware pick-up mechanisms each traveling at the same linear speed as the chucks, said drive means comprising a turret on the ware transfer apparatus mounting the ware pick-up mechanisms, a vertical shaft about which said turret is mounted for rotation, a driving connection from the burn-off machine, a clutch means for drivably connecting said driving connection and said turret and constructed and arranged to provide position synchronization of the Ware pick-up mechanisms and the burn-01f machine chucks Whenever the turret is being driven, a ware retarding means operable in the straight line path of the were on the conveyor for intercepting ware thereon prior to their entering the Ware receiving station for reducing the linear speed of the Ware, and a synchronized References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Aiken Apr. 3, 1951 Schreiber Sept. 15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 886,299 France June 28,- 194-3 

3. IN COMBINATION, A HORIZONTAL CONVEYOR ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ARTICLES OF WARE IN HOT CONDITION FROM A FORMING MACHINE AND MOVE THEM IN A STRAIGHT LINE PATH AT A CONSTANT SPEED, A ROTARY, MULTIPLE-CHUCK BURN-OFF MACHINE CARRYING ITS CHUCKS AT A CONSTANT SPEED, THE LINEAR SPEED OF THE CHUCKS BEING LESS THAN THE SPEED OF THE WARE ON THE CONVEYOR, A ROTARY WARE TRANSFER APPARATUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF WARE PICK-UP MECHANISMS ADAPTED TO TRAVEL IN REGISTRY OVER THE STRAIGHT LINE PATH OF THE WARE ON THE CONVEYOR AT A WARE RECEIVING STATION AND IN REGISTRY WITH THE PATH OF THE CHUCKS AT A SUBSEQUENT WARE DELIVERY STATION, DRIVE MEANS FOR MOVING THE WARE PICK-UP MECHANISMS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE MOVEMENT OF THE CHUCKS, THE WARE PICK-UP MECHANISMS EACH TRAVELING AT THE SAME LINEAR SPEED AS THE CHUCKS, SAID DRIVE MEANS COMPRISING A TURRET ON THE WARE TRANSFER APPARATUS MOUNTING THE WARE PICK-UP MECHANISMS, A VERTICAL SHAFT ABOUT WHICH SAID TURRET IS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION, A DRIVING CONNECTION FROM THE BURN-OFF MACHINE, A CLUTCH MEANS FOR DRIVABLY CONNECTING SAID DRIVING CONNECTION AND SAID TURRET AND CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO PROVIDE POSITION SYNCHRONIZATION OF THE WARE PICK-UP MECHANISMS AND THE BURN-OFF MACHINE CHUCKS WHENEVER THE TURRET IS BEING DRIVEN, A WARE RETARDING MEANS OPERABLY IN THE STRAIGHT LINE PATH OF THE WARE ON THE CONVEYOR FOR INTERCEPTING WARE THEREON PRIOR TO THEIR ENTERING THE WARE RECEIVING STATION FOR REDUCING THE LINEAR SPEED OF THE WARE, AND A SYNCHRONIZED DRIVE MEANS OPERATED BY THE LAST-MENTIONED DRIVE MEANS AND CONNECTED FOR OPERATING SAID WARE RETARDING MEANS TO MOVE THE LATTER AT THE SAME LINEAR SPEED AND IN SYNCHRONISM WITH SAID WARE PICK-UP MECHANISMS. 